Folding and disappearing bed and movement therefor.



A.E.ABBOT1 FOLDING AND DISAPPEARING BED AND MOVEMENT THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1, 1913.

1,081,186, 7 Patented Dec.9, 1913.

INVENTOR HIS ATTORNEY WITNESSES B NW COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0.. wAsmNa'roN. D. c.

UNITED STATES AMBROSE EDGAR ABBOTT, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

FOLDING AND DISAPPEARING BED AND MOVEMENT THEREFOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 9,1913.

Application filed February 1, 1913. Serial No. 745,648.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Aananosn EDGAR AB- nor'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Folding and Disappearing Beds and Movements Therefor, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to folding and disappearing beds and movements therefor, and it has for its object to provide improved construction and organization relating to such beds and movements which will be superior in point of relative inexpensiveness and simplicity, facility in assemblage, installation or detachment or removal of parts and features, positiveness and facility in operation, durability or length of life, noiselessness in operation and sightliness in appearance, and which will be generally superior in efliciency and serviceability.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel and useful provision, formation, construction, combination, association and relative arrangement of parts, members and features, all as hereinafter described, shown in the drawing and finally pointed out in claims.

In the drawing: Figure l is a fragmentary and sectional side elevation of a folding or disappearing bed and a cabinet or housing for receiving the same when not in use, together with the mechanical means provided for the operation or movement of the bed, all being constructed and assembled in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal transverse sectional view, taken upon the line X -X Fig. 1, showing a portion of the bed mattress in fragmentary plan and looking in the direction of the appended arrows; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view disclosing. a modified form of construction and organization, and Fig. 4 is a detail view of the link connection.

Corresponding parts in all the figures are designated by the same reference characters.

Referring with particularity to the draw ing and to all the figures thereof, A designates a bed mounted and supported so as to be capable of movement from the lowered position shown in the drawings to elevated position in which it is housed within a cabinet or the like B which may be, if preferred or found suitable, a recess inthe wall or any other part of the building construction.

C in Figs. 1 and 2 designates means for mounting the bed and accommodating it and controlling it in its movement, and likewise into the movement out of housed position and into horizontal position in which it is used. Likewise, in Fig. 3 D designates means for mounting the bed and accommodating and controlling it in its similar movements. The cabinet B is shown as vertically disposed, and having a base member 4 which may rest upon the floor or other part of the building, a rear vertical wall 5 and side vertical walls 6, such cabinet being open at the front or at that portion thereof directly opposite of the rear vertical wall 5 so that the bed may swing into and out of the cabinet in a vertical plane of movement.

The construction and detail formation of the bed A is immaterial with respect to the issues of the invention. In Figs. 1 and 2 it is shown as being provided with or comprising corner pieces 7 which are mounted upon a door or closure 8 which seals the cabinet 13 at its open front when the bed is in concealed or folded position within the cabinet. From these corner pieces may rise legs or supports 9 upon which or between which may be spread the wire mattress or bed proper 10, spaced above the closure 8 when the bed is in horizontal position for use.

In Fig. 3 the bed is only indicated fragmentarily, a corner piece 11 being shown, of which it is understood that there are four at the four corners of the bed and at the four corners of the door or closure 8, which has the same purpose as the closure 8 in the other figures.

One or more folding props or legs 12 may be applied to the closure adjacent to the upper or outer end thereof, to sustain the weight imposed upon the bed when in use.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 again, the corner pieces 7 at the lower or pivot end of the closure 8 are provided with laterally and outwardly projecting studs 13 upon the outer ends of which are loosely mounted rollers 14- confined to move vertically within channel irons 15 which are vertically disposed within the open front of the cabinet at the bottom thereof, being secured to the vertical side walls 6. These rollers co-acting with the channel irons constitute the vertically movable centers or pivots upon which the bed, and closure 8, swings in its movements l into and out of the cabinet 13, or from horizontal into vertical position and vice versf and such studs 13 and rollers 1a and channel irons 15 are included within the means C for causing, accommodating and controlling the bed in its movements. The bed is further carried upon two suspenders 16, one at each side, and each consisting of a bent arm pivotally connected at its upper end as at 17 to the respective side cabinet wall 6, and at its lower end as at 18 to the respective corner piece 7 at a point somewhat removed from the respective stud 13 and outward from such stud which constitutes the center of swing as stated. Each arm 16 is so bent that the major portion thereof lies within the cabinet when the bed is lowered and the shorter length thereof lies substantially horizontal at the respective side of the bed. These suspenders constitute what would be termed suspension means 0 included within the means 0, which latter means further comprise a tension member or members (Z, a tension lever e and a compensation lever prop As each of these members, (Z, 0 and 7 are duplicated at each side of the cabinet for co-action with the respective side of the bed at the respective stud 13, only one of such set of members will be specifically described, it being understood that such sets are so spaced apart as to permit the bed to swing between said sets when entering the cabinet, and likewise to accommodate the suspenders 16 in their swinging movements. Each tension member (Z comprises a plurality of contractile coil springs 19 stretched between a head plate 20 and a foot plate 21, the former of which is provided with a slottted arm 22 receiving a pin 23 passed through the adjacent side cabinet wall 6 and headed as at 24: at its inner end, and so formed as to be capable of loosening and tightening for the purpose of shifting the head plate 20 and varying the distance between the head and the foot plate 21 to vary the tensional condition of the springs 19. The tension lGVGl 6, through which the spring action is applied to the respective stud 13 and through the same to the bed, is pivotally connected at one end with such stud, and an arm 25 integral with the foot plate 21 is pivotally connected as at 26 to the other end of the lever e, which end, with the bed in horizontal position, is lower than the end connected with the stud. The compensation lever prop f, pivotally connected at its lower end, as at 27, with the tension lever e, intermediate of the ends thereof, and its upper end is pivotally connected with the head plate 20 as at 28; said prop comprising sections 29 having adjustable over-lapping ends 30 whereby the length of the prop may be varied to accommodate the adjustment of the head plate 20 if desired or required.

The method of operation and use of the bed and cabinet and the means for accommodating and controlling the bed in its movement, as described with respect to Figs. 1 and 2, will be readily understood from such description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

Vith the bed in a lowered position, the counter-balancing springs 31 are under tension so that only a slight force is necessary to overcome the weight of the bed and swing the bed upwardly into a closed position. Upon the initial upward swinging movement of the bed, the closure 8 is swung about the lower ends of the suspender arms 16 as a pivot so as to lower the rollers 14 in the channel iron guides 15. The balancing levers e are thereby swung about their respective pivots 27 so as to increase the leverage of the springs 31 and enable the springs to operate in an effective manner to counterbalance the weight of the bed. Since the studs 13 and rollers 14; are directed in their movements by the channel guides 15 and caused to travel in a substantially vertical path, it is necessary to make provision whereby the pivots 27 of the balancing levers 6 may be shifted inwardly as the bed is closed. It is for this purpose that the balancing levers e are pivoted upon the lower ends of the props or hangers f, the upper ends of the said props or hangers f being pivoted upon the head plates 20 as indicated at 28 so that the props are free to swing toward and away from the front of the cabinet. The strength of the springs 31 is such that but a slight force need be applied to the closure 8 for moving the same into an open or closed position, the strength of the springs being slightly over-balanced by the weight of the bed. Upon opening the bed and removing it from the cabinet, the operation of the parts is just the reverse of that previously described, the tension in the springs 31 being gradually increased and the studs 13 and rollers 14 being moved upwardly within the channel shaped guides 15.

Referring to Fig. 3, the means D include the suspenders or hangers 16 which have the lower ends thereof pivotally connected at 18 to the corner pieces 11 at the inner or pivot end of the closure 8, the inner ends of the corner pieces 11 being pivotally connected to the ends of tension or balancing levers 32 which are fulcrumed intermediate of their ends upon the sides 6 of the cabinet at 33. The inner ends of the balancing levers 32 are formed with the downwardly projecting arms 3st which are pivotally connected at their lower ends, as at 35, with angular or elbow shaped links 36. These links 36 are adapted to abut against the inner extremity of the respective levers 32 so as to limit the upward swinging movement of the links, while the extremities of the links ae connected at 37 with contractile coil springs 38 which have their upper ends secured at 39 to the Walls of the cabinet. With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 3, when the outer end of the bed and the closure are raised the said closure swings about the lower ends of the suspenders or hangers 16 as a pivot and causes the inner end of the closure 8 to be lowered, the balancing levers 32 swinging simultaneously about their respective pivots The springs 38 act upon the balancing levers 32 through the medium of the links 36 and arms at and cooperate with the said levers to counter-balance the bed and closure 8, so that only a slight force need be applied to the bed when swinging the same upwardly into a closed position or swinging it downwardly into an open position. 1n this modified construction the balaneing levers have fixed pivots, instead of shifting pivots as in the former construction, and the vertical guide means for causing the inner extremity of the closure 8 to move in a vertical direction instead of swinging in the are of a circle is omitted. In both constructions, however, it will be noted that these balancing levers enter materially into the construction and mode of operation, transmitting the force of the springs to the bed so as to assist in its rise and ease its fall.

I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to the particular formation, construction, combination and organization of parts shown and described, but reserve the right to vary the same in adaptin the improvement to varying conditions of use and service, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A folding bed including a cabinet, a swinging closure upon which the bed is mounted, shifting fulcrum members to which the pivot end of the closure is pivotally connected a balancing lever pivoted between its ends and having one end thereof loosely connected to the closure at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the closure and the shifting fulcrum members, and means connected to the opposite end of the balancing lever for cooperation therewith to counterbalance the weight of the closure and bed.

2. A folding bed including a cabinet, a swinging closure upon which the bed is mounted, hangers having the lower ends thereof pivotally connected to the closure so 4 as to provide a shifting supporting fulcrum for the same, a balancing lever pivotally mounted between its ends and having one end thereof loosely connected to the closure at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the closure and the hangers, and tension means connected to the opposite end of the balancing lever for counterbalancing the weight of the closure and bed.

3. A, folding bed including a cabinet, a

swinging closure therefor adapted to have the bed mounted upon the same, hangers having the lower ends thereof pivotally connected to the closure to provide a shifting fulcrum for the same, guide means engaging the inner end of the closure for causing the same to travel in a straight path, a balancing lever connected to the inner end of the closure, and means cooperating with the balancing lever for counter-balancing the weight of the closure and bed.

4. A folding bed including a cabinet, a swinging closure adapted to have a bed mounted thereon, hangers mounted upon the cabinet and engaging the closure to provide a shifting fulcrum for the same, guide means for causing the inner end of the closure to move in a vertical path, a balancing-lever connected to the inner end of the closure, a shifting fulcrum for the balancing lever, and means cooperating with the balancing lever for counter-balancing the weight of the closure and bed.

5. A folding bed including a cabinet, a swinging closure adapted to have a bed mounted thereon, hangers mounted upon the cabinet and engaging the closure to provide a shifting fulcrum for the same, vertical guide means upon the cabinet for causing the inner end of the closure to travel in a vertical path as it is swung into and out of a closed position, a balancing lever having one end thereof connected to the inner end of the closure, a head plate upon the cabinet, a swinging fulcrum bar connected to the head plate, the balancing lever being pivoted at a point between its ends at the lower end of the swinging fulcrum bar, a foot plate connected to the opposite end of the balancing lever, and tension means between the head plate and foot plate for cooperation with the balancing lever to counter-balance the weight of the closure and bed.

6. A folding bed including a cabinet, a swinging closure adapted to have a ,bed mounted thereon, hangers mounted upon the cabinet and engaging the swinging closure to provide a shifting fulcrum for the same, studs projecting laterally from the inner end of the closure, vertical channel guides receiving the studs and cooperating therewith to cause the inner end of the closure to travel in a vertical path as the closure is raised and lowered, balancing levers having the ends thereof pivotally connected to the studs, swinging fulcrum bars having the balancing levers pivotally mounted thereon, and tension means engaging the balancing levers and cooperating therewith to counterbalance the closure and bed.

7. A folding bed including a cabinet, a swinging closure adapted to have the bed mounted thereon, hangers pivotally connected at their upper ends to the cabinet and at their lower ends to the closure so as to provide a shifting fulcrum for the closure, studs projecting laterally from opposite sides of the closure at the inner end thereof, vertical channel guides receiving the studs and cooperating therewith to cause the inner end of the closure to travel in a Vertical path as the closure is swung into and out of a closed position, balanclng levers pivotally connected at one end to the studs, head plates applied to the cabinet, swinging fulcrum bars connected at their upper ends to the head plates, the respective balancing levers being pivotally mounted at points between their ends upon the lower ends of the swinging fulcrum bars, foot plates connected to the ends of the balancing levers, and tension means connecting the head plates and foot plates for cooperation with the balancing levers to counter-balance the closure and bed.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

AMBROSE EDGAR ABBOTT.

Witnesses:

ALFRED I-I. DAEHLER,

H. H. HARRIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

